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Chapter Announces 2015 Award Winners

January 5, 2016

By Sarah Rippke, Bolton & Menk, Inc.

The 2015 APWA-MN Chapter Awards program had a successful year, thanks to the great nominations made by our chapter members.

Project of the Year Award

As determined by our Awards Committee, two projects were selected for Project of the Year this year: the Downtown Improvements in the City of Jordan and the Highway 7/Louisiana Avenue Interchange in the City of St. Louis Park.

Jordan, like many towns of similar age and size, was faced with crumbling utilities beneath its downtown business district. Coupled with the desire to reinvigorate the business climate and fill vacant properties with vibrant commerce, the city saw the opportunity for creative improvements wrapped in the necessity of utility reconstruction. Accepting the award on behalf of the City of Jordan, whose project team included Bolton & Menk, Inc., and Chard Tiling & Excavating, was Jordan City Administrator Tom Nikunen. (See photo below.)

A grade separated interchange was constructed to replace the signalized intersection at TH 7 and Louisiana Avenue. The fundamental goal of the project was to provide a safe, functional, urban interchange to improve access, safety, and operations for a number of modes of transportation including vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and freight. Accepting the Project of the Year Award on behalf of the City of St. Louis Park, whose project team included Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH) and C. S. McCrossan, was St. Louis Park Engineering Director Debra Heiser. (See photo below.)

In addition, the chapter recognized Camp Ripley Road and Utility Infrastructure Improvements, the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs, whose team included: TKDA, Breitback Construction Company, Tri-City Paving, and Eagle Construction Company with the Project of the Year, Honorable Mention.

Environmental Stewardship Award

The City of Forest Lake, Bolton & Menk, and the Rice Creek Watershed District received the Environmental Stewardship Award for their Clear Lake Water Quality Project. This innovative project was designed to enhance and preserve the water quality of clear Lake, located adjacent to the building site of the new Forest Lake City Center. Mid-summer algae blooms are common, and occasionally severeenough to impact recreation. Trhough a Board of Water and Soil Resources Clean Water Legacy grant, Bolton & JMenk designed a Best Management Practieces (BMP) project that will treat approximately 520 ares of sediment and phosphorus-laden water that ultimately dischareds to Clear Lake. (See photo below.)

Personnel Award Recipients for 2015

Director of the Year: Steve Stadler, City of Hopkins

Supervisor of the Year: Kevin Chmielewski, City of Shoreview

Superintendent of the Year: Jim Eiler, City of Bloomington

Hugo G Erickson Award

Jeannine Clancy received the Hugo G. Erickson Award for excellence in chapter service. Jeannine has been actively involved in APWA-MN for a number of years, including serving as the chapter’s President in 2012. She was also actively involved in bringing PWX to Minneapolis in 2016.

2016 APWA National Awards

It’s time to start thinking about 2016 APWA Award Nominations! Nominations for national awards are due to APWA by March 1 (Nominations for the Excellence in Snow and Ice Control are due Feb. 1). We are asking anyone interested in submitting an award to contact Sarah Rippke by January 11 at sarahri@bolton-menk.com.